Dual steering control



Patented Feb. 20, 1945 DUAL STEERING CONTROL Elmer J. Barth and Edward w. Zlngsheim, 'loledo, Ohio, assignors to Spicer Manufacturing Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Virginia Application November 19, 1943, Serial No. 510,930

7 Claims.

As is well known, vehicles of the crawling type embodying tractor belts or tracks are actuated by shaft sections connected, respectively, to sprockets over which the tracks run, the shaft sections being connected together by a differential gearing, and the vehicles are steered around comers by holding one or the other of the shaft sections, or one side gear or the other of the differential gearing, stationary, as by brakes controlled by the driver. This invention relates to steering mechanisms for steering the vehicle by holding one side or the other of the differential stationary and has for its object a steering mechanism including two pairs of levers, one operable for applying one brake band, say the left hand brake band, when a turn is to be made to the left, and the other to apply the right hand brake band, when a turn is to be made to the right, the two pairs of levers being operable to effect the sam result, but with neither pair actuating the other pair.

The invention further has for its object such a steering mechanism involving two pairs of right and left levers, which mechanism is particularly simple and economical in construction.

The invention further has for itsobject a steering mechanism including pairs of levers located on opposite sides, that is, the right and left sides of the vehicle frame or in case of military tanks, on opposite sides of the transmission casing, each pair of levers being a right and left lever, or levers, one-for effecting right hand turns and the other for elfecting left hand turns, and interconnections between the levers including transverse shafts extending between the two pairs of levers crosswise of the transmission casing, one being operable by either right hand lever of the pairs, and the other by either left hand lever of the pairs, with suitable motion transmitting means between these shafts and right and left steering members, lost motion couplings or one-way clutch devices between each lever and the shaft it operates for permitting each lever, as each right hand lever or left hand lever, to be operated to effect the steering without actuating the companion right hand or left hand lever of the other pair. As the vehicle is usually steered by applying brake bands, the steering members are shafts or studs which control the application of the brake mechanism.

Th invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an elevation of this mechanism, the contiguous portion of the outside housing or body of the vehicle being shown in section, and the position of the transmission housing of the vehicle, as a military tank, being shown in broken lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of parts seen in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in perspective to illustrate the linkage shown in Figure 1. 1

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the parts shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The dual steering control comprises right and left brake shafts which, when operated, apply brake bands, two pairs of right and left levers, the right levers being operable to apply one brake band and the left levers to apply the other brake band, motion transmitting mechanism operated by the levers to apply the brake band including lost motion means, whereby when one lever of one pair is operated, the other lever of that pair remains stationary or is not effected by the operation of the first pair.

I l and I2 designate the left and right levers of one pair; l3 and I l, the left and right levers of the other pair. The levers ll and I! are located on the left hand side of the transmission casing T of a vehicle and the pair of levers l3 and M on the right hand side. Ordinarily, the levers II and I2 are used for steering the vehicle, and the levers l3 and It for steering it in emergencies. The left hand levers II and 13 of each pair operate to apply a left hand brake to cause the track on the left side of the machine to be held stationary or to run slower than the track on the right side, and thus cause the vehicle to turn to the left. Either one of the levers l2 and I4 may be operated to apply the right hand brake and cause the vehicle to turn to the right. The lever II is pivotally mounted on the shaft l5 but is coupled thereto by a lost motion coupling or a one-way clutch including a collar or section l6 keyed to the shaft l 5 and having a lug or tooth I! for coacting with a complemental lug or shoulder l8 on the hub of the lever II, when the lever is moved in such direction as to apply the brake. However, this clutch permits the shaft l5 to be operated by the lever l3 without applying any turning force to the lever II. The lever II, as

well as the other levers l2, l3 and I4, is held in its I operated position by means of a rack and latch device l9 and 20 (Figure 2) of any suitable construction.

The motion is transmitted from the shaft l5 to the brake operating shaft 2| which operates the left hand brake through suitable means, as a rock arm 22 extending from a hub 23 keyed to the shaft I5, and connected to means, as a link 24, which is connected to a rock arm 25 mounted on the shaft 28 to rock the same, rock arm 21 on the shaft 28, link 28 connecting the rock arm 21 and a rock arm 29 on the left hand brake operating shaft 2|. The same shaft 28 can be operated by the left hand lever I3 located on the right hand side of the transmission T for operating the rock arm 21, link 28, rock arm 29 and left hand brake operating shaft 2|, and incidentally operating the arm 25, link 24 and shaft I5, but not operating the lever II, because of the lost motion between the lug I1 and lug I8 of the lever II. This operation by the left hand lever I3 of the right hand pair of levers I3 and I4 on shaft 38, corresponding to the shaft I5, connected to the shaft 28 through a rock arm 3| on the hub 32 loose on the shaft 30, a link 33, corresponding to the link 24, and a rock arm 34, Corresponding to the rock arm 25 mounted on the shaft 28 to transfer the motion through the shaft 28 to the left hand operating shaft 2| through the parts 21, 28 and 29. The motion of the lever I 3 is transmitted to the collar 32 through a lost motion, as a lug 35 on the hub 32 coacting with a complemental shoulder on the hub 36 of the lever I3, which hub is loosely mounted on the shaft 38. Thus, operation of the lever, although it idly operates on the shaft 38, does not transmit motion to the lever I4, but operation of the lever I3 transmits motion to the shaft 28 and to the left hand brake operating shaft 2| without operating the lever II.

The right hand levers I2 and I4 operate a right hand brake operating shaft 31. The right hand brake lever I2 of the left hand pair of steering or brake levers has its hub 38 loosely mounted on the shaft I to rock about the same adjacent a U-shaped bracket 39 also loosely mounted on the shaft I5 and connected through link 48 and rock arm 4|, similar to link 24 and rock arm 25 and the link 33 and rock arm 34, to a tubular shaft 42 rotatable about the shaft 25 and having at its right hand end a rock arm, link and second rock arm corresponding to the parts 21, 28 and 29, the last rock arm being mounted on the right hand brake shaft 31. These two shafts 28 and 42 extend across the top of the transmission casing T. The hub '38 and the U-shaped collar 39 are coupled together by a one-way clutch device in the same manner that the levers II, I3 and I4 are coupled to the collars I8 and 32. The right hand lever I4 of the right hand pair is mounted on the shaft 38 through a one-way clutch device consisting of the hub 43 loosely mounted on the shaft 30 and coacting with a lug 44 on a collar 45 keyed to the shaft 38 and the motion of the shaft 38 is transferred to the right hand brake operating shaft 31 through a rock arm 48 on a hub 41 keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 30, this arm 48 being connected through link 48, rock arm 49, similar to the link and rock arm 48 and 4|, to the tubular shaft 42 which, as before stated, is connected to the right hand operating stud or shaft 31 through mechanism corresponding to the parts 21, 28 and 29.

Ordinarily, the vehicle is steered by means of the left hand pair of levers I I and I2 and the operation of these levers does not move the right hand pair of levers I3 and I4, due to the lost motion effected by the one-way clutches. On

the other hand, the operation of the right hand pair of levers I3 and I4 does not move the pair of levers II and I2.

The concentric shafts 28 and 42 are shafts common to the left hand brake operating members and the right hand brake operating members, respectively, the collar I8 with its one-way clutch coacting with the lug I8 of the lever II. The shaft I5, rock arm 22, link 24,'lever 25 constitute motion transmitting means including a oneway clutch device between the shaft I5 and the shaft 28, the parts 21, 28 and 29 constituting motion transmitting means operated by the shaft 26 to actuate the steering member 2 I, that is, the operating shaft or stud of the brake applying mechanism. The bracket 39 loose on the shaft I5 coacts through the one-way clutch device with the hub 38 of the right hand lever I2 loosely mounted on the shaft I5, link 48, rock arm ll, corresponding to the link 33 and rock arm 34, constituting motion transmitting means between the right hand lever I2 of the left hand pair, and the shaft 42, which shaft 42 is connected to the other steering gear member or the shaft or stud 31, which applies the right hand brake through parts 21', 28' and 29', similar to the parts 21, 28 and 29. The motion of the left hand lever I3 of the right hand pair is transmitted to the shaft 26 through motion transmitting means including the collar 32 on the shaft 38 and having a one-way clutch device coacting with the hub 38 of the lever I 3, link and rock arm 33 and 34 corresponding to the link and rock arm 24, 25, the rock arm 34 being mounted on the shaft 26. The motion of the shaft 28, when actuated by the lever I3, is transferred to the left hand brake applying member 2| through the parts 21, 28 and 29.

The one-way clutch device consisting of the collar 45 on the shaft 30, the hub 43 of the lever I4 loosely mounted on theshaft, rock arm it, link 48 and rock arm 49, corresponding to link 24 and rock arm 25 constitute'motion transmitting means between the lever I4 and the outer shaft 42 of the concentric shafts, the rock arm 49 being mounted on the shaft 42. The shaft 26 transmits the motion of both left hand steering levers, and the shaft 42 transmits the motion of both right hand steering levers, and owing to the one-way clutch devices, the operation of either right or left steering lever does not affect or move the other right or left steering lever. Although all the levers II, I2, I3 and I4 are mounted on the shafts I5 or 30, the shaft I5 transmits only the motion of the lever II, although it idles when the lever I3 is being operated, and the shaft 38 transmits only the motion of the lever I4, although it idles when the lever I2 is being operated.

What we claim is:

l. A dual steering mechanism for motor vehicles including right and left steering members, two pairs of operating levers for each of said members, each pair including right and left levers, motion transmitting means between the right levers of the pairs and one of said members and between the left levers of said pairs and the other of said members including two shafts, one for effecting left hand turning and the other right hand turning, and motion transmitting means between said shafts and said members respectively.

2. A dual steering mechanism for motor vehicles including right and left steering members, two pairs of operating levers for each of said aseaosc motion couplings permitting each lever to be operated for producing a turn without operating the other lever operable to produce the same turn.

3. In a dual steering mechanism for motor vehicles, the combination with a transmission casing, of pairs of right and left steering levers on opposite sides of the casing respectively, right and left steering members, shafts for operating said members respectively extending crosswise of said casing and being arranged concentric, motion transmitting means between the shafts respectively and said steering members, motion transmitting means between the right hand levers of each pair and one of said shafts, and motion transmitting means between the left hand levers of each pair and the other of said shafts.

4. In a. dual steering mechanism for motor vehicles, the combination with a transmission casing, of pairs of right and left steering levers on opposite sides of the casing, rightand left steering members, shafts for operating said members respectively extending crosswise of said casing and being arranged concentric, motion transmitting means between the shafts respectively and saidsteering members, motion transmitting means between the right hand levers of each pair and one of said shafts and between the left hand levers of each pair and the other of said shafts, each of the motion transmitting means operable by the levers including a one-way clutch device operable to permit operation of one right or left lever without operating the other right or left lever.

5. In a dual steering mechanism for motor vehicles, the combination of two pairs of independently operable levers, each pair including a right hand lever and a left hand lever, a pair of concentric shafts, one shaft being common to the right hand levers of the two pairs, and the other to the left hand levers, right and left steering gear members, motion transmitting means between the shafts and said members respectively, two shafts, one right hand lever and one left hand lever being mounted on each of said two shafts, motion transmitting means between each of said two shafts and one only of the concentric shafts, the levers on said two shafts being rotatably mounted thereon, a one-way clutch device between one lever on each of said two shafts and the shaft permitting the shaft to overrun. motion transmitting connections between the other operating lever on each shaft and the other of said concentric shafts, said other of the levers on each of said two shafts being connected to its motion transmitting means by an overrunning clutch device permitting its motion transmitting means to overrun.

6. In a dual steering mechanism for motor vehicles, the combination with a transmission casing, of pairs of right and left steering levers on opposite sides of the casing, right and left steering members, a pair of concentric shafts extending crosswise of the transmission casing, one shaft being common to the right hand levers of the two pairs and the other to the left hand levers, motion transmitting means between the concentric shafts and said members respectively, two shafts, one right hand lever and one left hand lever being mounted on each of said two shafts, motion transmitting means between each of said two shafts and one only of the concentric shafts, the levers on said two shafts being rotatably mounted thereon, a oneway clutch device between one lever on each of said two shafts and the shaft permitting the shaft to overrun, motion transmitting connections between the other operating lever on each shaft and the other of said concentric shafts, said other of the levers on each of said two shafts being connected to its motion transmitting means by an overrunning clutch device permitting its motion transmitting means to overrun.

'7. In a dual steering mechanism for motor vehicles, the combination of two pairs of independently operable levers, each pair including a right and a left hand lever, a shaft common to the right hand levers of the two pairs, a second shaft common to the left hand levers of the two pairs, motion transmitting means between said shafts and the right and left steering members respectively, motion transmitting means between the levers and the shafts respectively, the last transmitting means for the right hand levers including one-way clutch'devices and also the motion transmitting means operated by the left hand levers including a one-way clutch device for permitting each left or right hand lever to be operated without operating the companion left or right hand lever.

ELMER. J. BARTH. EDWARD W. ZINGSHEM. 

